US Army certified gaming guns and gear hands-on

The US Army has officially endorsed a range of gaming peripherals as produced by CTA Digital.

Leading the pack at CES 2012 was the US Army Elite Force Assault Rifle for PlayStation 3 & Move, as pictured. It is modelled bump for bump on the genuine assault rifles as used by the troops, only with the addition of PlayStation controls and a red bit at the end so that no one will be too scared if you try to rob a bank with one.

Now, when we say PlayStation controls we mean absolutely every button, stick and function you'll find on a standard DualShock controller - including the vibrations - only spread about the weapon in a slightly different fashion. Essentially, the left and right controls have been put onto the grips of the thing and the menu-type buttons are on the side. Note also that there's a slot on the top where you can wedge a Move controller if you want to have your gestures and, ultimately, where you point the thing, to have an effect too.

It's certainly smooth and easy enough to use. The sticks were a touch on the loose side for our liking but the major flaw is that it's a bit on the silly side if it's not a Move game otherwise you soon discover that you can play with the gun facing the floor, the ceiling or your wall hangings and it makes no difference at all. It may as well just be an odd shaped controller - ok, well, an odd shaped controller with authentic camouflage.

On top of the Assault Rifle, there'll also be a backpack for your console, a pair of closed cup gaming headphones and a throat mic, as well, which means you'll be able to do your game chat without screaming the house down.

All of the products will be available in February, if not before, with the rifle at around $80 and the headsets at $60 and less.

Dan's love affair with tech began in 1985 with his first computer, the Enterprise 128. After a psychology and zoology degree at university, a career on stage and screen he joined Pocket-lint in 2009. Dan has now moved on to pastures new.